William johnston



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1 W. JOHNSTON.

THILL COUPLING.

. Patent d c.

2 N 0 m S N H 0 U THILL COUPLING. No. 309,959.

Patented Dec. 30, 1884.

mares ArnNr FFKQEQ TO P. Q. sronnn,

OF SAME PLACE.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,959, dated December30, 1884:.

Application tiled June 3, [854. (No model.)

To coZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM JOHNSTON, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Menominee, in the county ofMenominee and State 5 otMichigan, have invented a new and usefulThill-Ooupling, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to thill-couplings, to and is an improvement onLetters Patent No. 267,693, granted to me November 21, 1882.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction ofthe device so as to provide a thill-coupling which will be simple 1 andcheap to manufacture, durable in use, convenient to handle, andefficient in operat-ion.

\Vith these and other objects in view the said invention consists incertain details of 20 construction and combination of parts, ashereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved thill-coup- 2 5 ling, the parts being shown in position foroperation. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the axle being removed.Fig. 3isa longitudinal section on the line aa, Fig. 2, illustrating themovement of the draw-irons in dotted lines. Fig. at is a transversesect-ion on the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view ofthe draw-irons detached. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the linez 2,Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a bottom view of a portion of the base- 5 plate. Fig.Sis a detail perspective view of the base-plate. Fig. 9 is a similarview of the cam and its operating-handle. Fig. 10 is a perspective viewshowing the base-plate and draw-irons secured to the axle, thethill-iron and rubber cushion being shown in position for insertion.

Like letters refer to corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the axle, of the usualconstruction, and O, the base-plate ofmyimproved thill-coupling, hav=ing its ends raised, as shown at E E, Figs. 2, 4,-and 8, said ends beingformed with shoulders D D, the axle resting on the ends between theshoulders, and secured by clips B B from displacement. The base-plate Gis slotted or cut away at F, Figs. 2, 3, 4, and S, to

form arms G G, which project forwardly, oblong-shaped blocks H Hprojecting from the upper face of each of the arms, for the pur- 5 posehereinafter explained.

I I designate the draw bars or irons,formed of substantially the sameshape as shown in my aforesaid patent, and provided with recessesJ J andopenings KK at the top, as shown in Fig. 5, the recesses receiving thetrunnions L of the thill-iron M, the trunnions being indicated by thedotted lines, Fig. 2. The bottoms of the draw-irons are left open or cutout, as shown at N N, the closed sides of the irons fitting around oneside of the blocks H H, projecting from the base-plate 0, said blockspartly closing the open bottoms N, and arranged to permit the freeforward and backward movement of the draw-irons. The draw- 0 irons areconnected together at the rear by a flat plate or bar, 0, having anelongated slot, I, cut through the center, said plate or bar working inthe space between the raised ends E, and guided thereby.

Q designates a transverse slot cut through the base-plate between theraised ends E, a circular opening, R, connecting with the slot at thecenter and adapted to register with the slot P in the plate or bar O, asmall shaft, S, projecting through the opening B, and formed at one endwith a cam, T, which fits in the slot P, so that by operating thefinger-hold or handle U at the other end of the shaft the cam is causedto engage with either the front or rear wall of the slot 1, to cause theforward or backward movement of the plate or bar 0, and the consequentmovement of the draw bars or irons. One end of the fingerhold or handle'U is formed with an inwardly-extendo ing flange, a, fitting aroundacircular-shaped bulge or extension, V, of the base-plate,'projections abeing formed 011 the extension diametrically opposite each other, andadapted to limit the movement of the finger-hold or 5 handle in eitherdirection and correspondingly limit the movement of the draw-irons.

\V designates the block carrying the rubber cushion X, provided with aprojecting flange or cap, Y, covering the recesses J of the draw- :00irons, so as to exclude water and dirt therefrom, the front side of thecushion being concaved to fit the face of the thill, and the back I anddirt from the recesses in which the trudwall of the block 7 fitting in arecess, Z, of the plate or bar between the drawirons.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the annexed drawings.

In applying the thill-coupling to the axle, I place the draw-irons uponthe base-plate, ad-

IO just the cam into position, and then secure the base-plate to theaxle, thereby holding the draw-irons in place. The thill-iron is thencoupled by passing its trunnions through the openings K into therecesses J the trunnions resting on the blocks H H, projecting throughthe open bottoms N. The rubbercushion and its block is then insertedinto position by passing the same through the openings K, and then byturning the finger-hold or handle U the cam T is caused to bear againstthe rear wall of the slot P, to produce the rearward movement of thedraw-irons, and thus enable the thill-iron to bear against therubberblock and form a tight and secure coupling.

It will be seen that the closed sides of the draw-irons fit around theouter sides of the blocks II and work forward and backward against thesame, while the block IV, carrying the rubber cushion, is arranged atits lower ends between the said blocks H, and thus the draw-irons andthe block V will be guided and held in proper position at all times. Theblocks H H serve also as stops to limit the movement of the draw-irons.The shoulders on the raised ends of the base-plate 0 hold the axle fromlateral displacement, while the raised ends form guide-walls for themovements of the plate or bar 0, formed with the draw-irons. v

\Vhen it is desired to uncouple the thills or pole from the vehicle, thefinger-hold or handle U is turned in the opposite direction until itabuts against the other projection, a, the cam T bearing against thefront wall of the slot P, and causing the plate or bar 0 to move forwardwith the draw bars or irons, the lat ter carrying the thill with them,and thereby withdrawing the said thill from contact with the rubbercushion, which can be removed by tipping it slightly forward. Then bymoving the trunnions of the thill backward in the recesses J J they canbe lifted through the open ings K.

By reason of the sliding arrangement of the draw-irons I am able toprovide for the ready withdrawal and insertion of the thills by simplyturniug the finger-ho1d or handle U halfway around from one projection ato the other, and by giving the finger-hold simply a quar ter-turn, orless, in either direction I am enabled to give any desired pressure ofthe thillirons against the rubber cushion.

The projecting cap or flange on the block IV, carrying the rubbercushion,serves to cover the slots of the draw-irons and keep the rainnions of the thill-irons have their bearings.

It will be seen that my improved thillcoupling is simple inconstruction, easily and cheaply manufactured, more durable in use,readily handled, and may be applied with ease to various places, andwill prove of great utility for the purposes intended.

' Having described my invention, I e1aim- 1. In a chill-coupling, thebase-plate, in

combination with the draw-irons connected together at the rear, thethill-irons fitted therein, the cushion and axle, and means,substantially as described, for causing the forward or backward movementof the drawirons to give any desired pressure of the thillirons againstthe cushion, as set forth.

. 2. In a thill-coupling, the base-plate, in combination with thedraw-irons connected together at the rear by a plate or bar, thethillirons fitted in place, the rubber cushion, and a cam for causingthe forward or backward movement of the draw-irons, for the purpose setforth.

3. In a thillcoupling, the base-plate formed with an opening, incombination with the draw-irons connected together at the rear by aplate or bar, a slot in the plate or bar registering with the opening inthe base-plate, a

shaft carrying a cam at one end fitting in the slot, and anoperating-handle at the other end, the thill-irons fitted in place, andthe rubber cushions, arranged and operating as set forth.

4. In a thill-coupling, the base-plate having its ends raised, incombination with the drawirons connected at the rear by a plate or barmoving in the space between the raised ends, the thill-irons, cushion,and means, substantially as described, for operating the plate or bar,as set forth.

5. In athill-coupling, the base-plate formed with projecting arms at itsfront ends, and blocks secured to or ;formed with the arms, incombination with the draw-irons connected at the rear by a plate or bar,means, substantiall y as described, for operating the plate or bar, thethill-irons, and rubber cushion, the bottoms of the draw-irons beingopen to receive the blocks, as set forth.

6. In a thill-coupling, the base-plate, in combination with the drawbars or irons connected together at the rear by a plate or bar, thethill-irons, cushion, and a cam working in a slot of the plate or bar,to cause the forward or backward movement of the drawirons, anoperating-handle for the can], and means for guiding and limiting themovements of the handle, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIAM JOHNSTON.

IVitnesses:

JOSEPH FLESI-IIEM, HENRY W. PAOKER.

